Unbroken
by Diane Clifford
Summary: One shot. Buzz and Jessie remember particular excerpts from their individual pasts, and realise how things have changed in the years since then.


Unbroken

**Titled and written as such due to a song of the same name by Tim McGraw. I don't own copyrights or anything like that for either the song or the characters.**

* * *

"How I ever lived and breathed before you loved me, I don't recall  
If I walked around at all, it was in bits and pieces of a jagged heart  
You kissed me and every piece went back in place, every pain got erased"

He didn't know how he had spent the last twenty or so years alone. As one of the original Space Cadets from the production line, he was programmed to take on strict everyday duties; he was supposed to be one of the many troops that would avenge the evil Emperor Zurg's wrongdoing. It was hard work; he was pounded into the ground everyday during his everyday ritual for the allegiance. He was cold as stone, ruthless, a warrior.

All that training, all that routine, all that work. Only to end up here in Bonnie's room to ponder what had happened to all of that. Unfortunately recent events that had come to pass meant that he could only remember certain snippets of that life.

He was sitting up on the shelves. This area provided the quiet he needed to look down over the playroom. As he thought over the last few years of his life, he started to remember something.

_It was dark. He was aware of the smell, rotting garbage. The closeness of the walls around him. He was lying on something, and there was dirt under his nails. He sat up, pulled himself back together and blinked. He snapped out of the trance as he started to get up. But before he could do anything, someone was hugging him. He could feel her lips on his cheek, not just once, but twice, three times….he lost his senses again….his knees going weak._

He snapped out of his reverie, noticing the very toy he was thinking of was walking along the floor far below him.

She must have felt his gaze because she glanced up. Buzz flickered his fingers in an unspoken hello to her. She smiled at him widely, regarding him for a moment as he felt his insides turn to jelly.

And in that instant he realised she'd broken him completely.

oOoOo

"If I doubted the power of love, baby now I understand  
I thank God for every day I wake up to the soft touch of your magic hands  
In this world sometimes the only thing that's real is the way you make me feel."

She turned away with a wan smile playing over her face. Who would have thought Buzz Lightyear, Mister Space Ranger himself, could be such a softie. She never thought she would be so uncertain about him.

She used to doubt a lot of things, of course.

She doubted that she would ever be sold at the toyshop.

She started to doubt Emily after the little girl brought her first nail varnish.

She doubted, while in storage, that she would ever love again.

She doubted she would never see Woody, the main one of their clan.

She doubted they would make it out of the aircraft in one piece.

She doubted they would ever be played with once more.

She doubted they would make it to the attic.

She doubted that Woody was wrong about day care.

She doubted that they would escape from the cages that Lotso put them in.

And she doubted for a long time that Buzz would ever stop stammering around her.

But then yesterday in the incinerator – she shuddered – when Buzz had taken her hand, she'd glanced at him and seen that look in his eyes. She understood it at once. There was no hint of his nervousness, just his acceptance of their fate. It was all sad, scared, yet comforting all at the same time.

As they had trundled down that conveyer belt towards the fiery inferno, long before the Pizza Planet trio had saved them, she'd suddenly given in and leaned her head onto Buzz's shoulder, whilst firmly grasping Bullseye's hoof in her left hand.

_It was dark. She was aware of the smell, burning garbage. The closeness of the walls around her. She was sitting on something, and there was dirt under her nails. Then she realised all at once that she wasn't alone like she had been before in times of distress. He was clutching her hand like he never wanted to let go and she could feel the press of him against her as he leaned his head lightly on hers. She closed her eyes and a tear rolled down her cheek as she sobbed._

And in that instance she realised she had no reason to doubt Buzz any longer.

OOoOo

"No one ever left me out in the rain, cold words still remain unspoken  
And I never got lost, spent years in the dark,  
You're here, now my heart's unbroken.  
When I see your smile fill my soul again, I'm unbroken."

She turned back, jumping up to the shelves and reaching the area where Buzz was sitting, his back resting against the wall. "Howdy," She greeted him brightly, and Buzz looked up.

"O…oh….h…hi Jessie," he stammered," and she giggled, treating him to another one of her wide smiles. Buzz felt his insides flip and tried to calm himself. He tried again. "What are y…you doing up h..here?"

Darn.

"Thought I'd come up and say hi properly, you looked like you could use some company! I know what its like to be alone."

"Y…you do?" Buzz asked.

"Sure. You don't think I was always with Bullseye and Stinky Pete do you?" She asked, flopping down in front of him and crossing her legs.

"Well..I just assumed…."

"Nah, Buzzy boy. I was in storage alone before Bullseye came along."

"Oh…" was all Buzz could think to say. His vocal cords had suddenly gotten tangled around each other.

"So whatcha doing up here anyway? Avoiding me?" She winked and Buzz coughed.

"Not at all, I was just thinking about my past," he started, and Jessie winced, remembering her own.

_The rain pattered down on the box she had been dumped in. It was open at the top, and Jessie had sought cover under an old magazine that was wrapped around an old china vase nearby. She peered out of the box handle opening, looking to see if Emily was coming back, but the car was long gone. The magazine was getting wet, and her yarn hair was coming untwisted and frizzy from the elements. It was unspoken, but she wasn't an idiot….she knew Emily didn't love her anymore._

Jessie shivered, remembering the years in the dark again, alone before Bullseye had joined her and licked her cheek on those lonely nights in storage together. Buzz must have noticed it too, because he shuffled over to her and draped an arm over her shoulder.

"Geez Jessie. I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking." She turned her bright green eyes, so sad and forlorn on him, and he returned to his normal self.

"E…er, maybe we should do something else t…to er…that is….you know, distract y..you again?"

She shook her head and leaned into him, closing her eyes and he gave a little gasp, his heart beating fast again. How on earth was she having such an effect on him? He closed his eyes and lifted his chin, hoping she couldn't feel how hard he was breathing.

_His hand was still holding hers, and she hadn't pulled away yet, except to sit up whilst they were being lifted away from the incinerator. They were gently lowered to the ground, and as the other toys cheered happily, Buzz readjusted himself and glanced around. It was then he realised she still had hold of his hand. She glanced up shyly, and he met her gaze. They exchanged a soft smile but she still didn't let go, it was like she was melded to him._

Buzz let out the breath he was holding, and Jessie sat up questioningly. "What's wrong Buzz?" He shook his head, unable to speak as she smiled at his inability to vocalize for the millionth time since she'd known him.

As she laid her head back onto his chest, Buzz realised he'd much rather have her here with him. He didn't want to know what it would be like to be unbroken by her.


End file.
